


strangers on a train

by calvinahobbes



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: 2010, Alternate Universe, M/M, Meet-Cute, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22346698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calvinahobbes/pseuds/calvinahobbes
Summary: “It’s happened to me on the Underground before - someone has just fallen asleep on me and I just let them. I was like, they obviously need a rest. I’m a good pillow. Sleep away.” (Phil, liveshow, Jan 19 2020)
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Comments: 57
Kudos: 203





	strangers on a train

**Author's Note:**

> For blue, who wanted the DnP meet-cute version of Phil's story about a stranger falling asleep on him! I hope this satisfies your craving, bb <3
> 
> Thank you to ahappyphil for enthusiastic beta <3 Thank you to autumnhearth for helping me find the 2010 tweet <3 The quote in the summary was transcribed by natigail.

> so now I have absolutely no money in my bank and I'm stranded in london :'( this hasn't been a good evening (@danisnotonfire, Jan 24 2010)

The guy who gets on the tube is young and skinny. He's wearing a slim-fitting white shirt and black jeans, and his dark fringe is draping artfully over his one eye. His eyes widen almost like an anime character's when he sees the compartment over-full with people. Phil was here when most of them got on, some concert or show letting out and everyone streaming onto the train at once.

He's been at a YouTube gathering that had dragged on into the wee hours, but when people had started to crash or gone off to snog in dark corners, Phil had decided to call it a night and head for Martyn's place where he has been allowed to crash for the night. 

Phil tries to make himself not stare as the guy makes his way unsteadily through the crowded space. He seems to sway a bit and Phil supposes he probably has some alcohol in his system as well.

Just when the guy is a couple of steps away, the woman in fancy evening dress, who has been sitting next to Phil, gets up abruptly. The guy gives Phil a brief, inquisitive look, and Phil gives a vague kind of almost-nod to acknowledge that the seat is free. The guy sinks down into it almost like a doll whose strings have been cut.

He definitely looks like someone who has been out drinking. There's a blush on his face and a stain on his shirt. Phil looks away quickly, though. 

The train rattles on, the close press of bodies making the space hot and a bit claustrophobic. Phil hugs his bag close to his chest and tries to breathe through his mouth, ignoring how sweat collects on his back, under his arms, along his upper lip.

Suddenly he feels a soft thunk on his shoulder, which nearly makes him jump. There's a soft brush of hair on his throat. The guy has fallen asleep, and is now using Phil's shoulder as a pillow.

Phil's first instinct is obviously mild panic. His next is to cough and move his shoulder. But when he glances down awkwardly, the guy looks… really cute. His mouth is open slightly, his lashes dark over his cheeks, a weird splotch of red on his jaw. Phil doesn't have the heart to wake him. He figures he can let the guy catch a few Zs before he jostles him awake.

At first it's just weird sitting on a crowded tube train with some stranger sleeping on his shoulder. But Phil thinks the guy must be really tired if he's able to fall asleep just like that. Phil likes the idea that he can give him just a few moments of rest. He quickly forgets to think that it's weird, and as the crowd slowly thins out, dwindling with every stop, it starts to feel kind of comfortable…

Suddenly the guy wakes up with a sharp inhale through his nose and a start. He jerks away from Phil and kind of stretches downwards before blinking in confusion, squinty eyes taking in the almost empty section before swinging around to take in Phil. His face does something weird that ends up in a look of surprise. Then he sits up fully and looks around desperately before yanking his phone out of his pocket.

"God! Shit fucking damnit!" he yells and instantly drops the phone into his lap so he can put his head in his hands. "Fuck!" he moans.

Phil has instinctively moved away from him when he jerked upright. Before he can try to think whether he should say anything, the guy turns to look at him again.

"Where am I?"

Phil opens his mouth to answer but before he can say anything the guy goes on.

"Ugh, I was supposed to catch the last train out of Paddington at 2am! Oh god, now I'm stuck here. I'm gonna get murder-raped while trying to sleep at the train station!" His eyes grow almost comically large at this last part.

"Oh. Uh. I'm sorry," Phil finally manages to say. "Where were you going?"

"Reading," the guy says plaintively. "I commute into town for my work experience, but they dragged me out to the pub after and… it got late." He slumps unhappily in his seat again. "The last train out of London is at 2:14."

Phil looks the guy over. He's young. If he's doing work experience he must be around Phil's age or maybe even younger. 

"You can wait at my place." Phil has no idea what possesses him to say that (well, maybe a small idea). He probably shouldn't be going around picking up strangers like this, but the guy doesn't look like the troublesome type, and Phil feels bad for him if he really has to spend the night on a bench at the train station.

The guy gives him a very dubious look. "How do I know you won't strangle me and fry up my toes for a late night snack the minute I'm inside your house?" 

Phil blinks. "That's. Oddly specific. I promise I'm not a murderous cannibal."

"That's exactly what a murderous cannibal would say!" the guy says and jabs his finger at Phil.

The train stops. Phil looks out at the station and thinks. "Look. My stop is the next one." He takes out his own phone. "I'm Phil." He types his phone number in the notes app. "This is my phone number. I'm going to crash at my brother's place. His name is Martyn. You can call the number to see if it's real and then text it to whoever you want and let them know where you're going."

The guy gives him another suspicious look, but he copies the number into his phone and presses "Call". Phil's phone starts vibrating. Phil doesn't answer it, letting it go to voicemail. The guy puts the phone up to his ear and listens to the computer generated voice tell him that he has, "Reached the number of" and then Phil's awkward voice patched in, stating his name. The guy hangs up the phone and bites his lip.

"And you're sure you don't eat toes?"

Phil snorts. "I think out of all the body parts, I wouldn't want to eat the toes first. Seems like they'd mostly be bones and toe nails. Probably taste kind of bad."

The guy gives a small, hesitant grin. "What like sour?"

"Or maybe kind of gristly?"

"Noo, eww!" He flops sideways into his seat, laughing. "That's not a taste!"

He has dimples.

Phil can't help but grin at him. He shrugs.

The guys sits up. He's fit, if Phil is honest, and his hair is flopping attractively into his face, and he has a really nice laugh, and chocolate brown eyes, and Phil has no idea what is happening. He puts his hand out to Phil. "I'm Dan." 

Phil takes it and they shake. 

"And I'm a little bit drunk still, so no taking advantage of me," he says in an admonishing tone.

Phil can't help but swallow nervously at that. He thinks he might gape stupid, but just a little bit for a short moment, before he manages to say, "Alright."

The guy, Dan, laughs again and peers at him through his fringe.

The train slows down so Phil gets up. Dan looks up at him from his seat. Suddenly he looks shy, different from the hesitant dubiousness from before, and his cheeks seem to blush. Phil feels some strange sensation of nervous anticipation snake its way through his stomach before Dan stands up to join him.

Once the train comes to a halt, Phil leads the way out of the tube station. "We have to walk a bit," he explains, and Dan nods and follows silently through the dark streets. 

Dan has a messenger bag slung over his shoulder, much like Phil's, but he wears it on the left side, opposite to Phil. He takes long strides and seems to keep up with Phil's pace effortlessly. 

Phil glances at him out of the corner of his eye, and they accidentally bump up against each other, shoulders touching, knuckles brushing. It sends a rush of surprise through Phil. They both overcorrect, veering far apart on the pavement, before coming back to a more normal distance. He glances again and thinks he sees Dan looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but he looks away before Phil can be sure. Phil resolves to keep his arms in check. He doesn't want this to be weird. He can keep it in his pants. He thinks probably Dan needs a bit of additional reassurance that he isn't a serial killer.

"I did work experience as a vet," he blurts. 

Dan turns his head to stare at him. 

Phil squirms a bit. He's trying to be not creepy and non-threatening. "I fainted, though. When I saw the blood? So I figured maybe pet surgery wasn't my thing after all. What about you, what are you doing for work experience?" 

Dan's shoulders seem to go down a little bit. "I work at a law firm. Probably gonna study law." He shrugs.

"Wow, sounds smart," Phil says, duly impressed but trying not to think about how that means that Dan is both fit and clever. 

Dan smiles, dimple denting his cheek, but doesn't reply directly. 

"I just studied English Language and Linguistics," Phil says, just for something to say.

Dan looks at him then. "That sounds pretty smart too."

Phil shrugs and grins. Then he stops. "Oh. Wait." He turns around, looking up at the buildings. "We passed it. This is it." He points and leads the way back to Martyn's building.

He texts Martyn instead of using the buzzer. It's not long before the door opens, though, and they trek the long way up the stairs, Phil trying really hard to pace himself and not sound audibly out of breath.

"You're lucky I'm used to keeping late hours," Martyn says as a greeting when he opens the door. "Who's this, then?" he says and looks Dan up and down.

"Martyn, this is my new friend Dan," Phil says with put-on confidence. "He missed his train to Reading, is it okay if he crashes here too?"

Martyn looks at him and then back at Dan, who hovers awkwardly on the landing behind Phil.

"What, a friend like that Charlie fellow?"

Phil blushes furiously and helplessly. He can't help but look behind him at Dan, who seems to have taken a new interest in the conversation. Phil moves in closer to Martyn and widens his eyes, grits through his teeth, "No, not like Charlie, just like… a mate."

Martyn shrugs as if he absolutely doesn't care either way. "Alright, fine, but I still only have the one sofa-bed, so I hope you lads can figure out how to share." He turns and goes back inside.

The flat is a three-bedroom that Martyn shares with two other people. His own room only has a bed and a desk in it, but the sofa in the communal living space folds out, and this is where Phil has been allowed to crash once or twice before. 

Of course, Martyn hasn't actually made it up yet. He goes into his room and digs out some bedding, which he throws on the sofa for them. "Right, boys. Goodnight. Remember to keep it down. Normal people are sleeping." He closes the door to his room behind him, and they're alone in the gloomy living room.

Phil puts his bag down and starts fitting the sheet over the sofa. Dan bends too, and together they manage to awkwardly make the bed. It's just a narrow 1.5 person fold-out and actually so short that Phil remembers sleeping corner-to-corner on it to avoid his feet dangling off the end. He shifts uncomfortably from one foot to another.

"I guess… we could sleep end to end? Like your feet at one end, mine at the other? Might be less awkward?"

Dan stares at him as if he just made everything five times more awkward. Then he shakes himself. "What, so you can have a sneaky nibble on my toes? I see what you're up to," he teases.

"Oh my god, wow! Okay," Phil mumbles, embarrassment making his cheeks burn. 

He turns around and takes off his jacket, then shucks quickly out of his jeans and gets under the covers with lightening speed. The bed shakes and squeaks and groans under him, but Dan doesn't say anything about him making a racket. Phil shuffles back awkwardly until his back hits the wall, which is absolutely icy.

Dan himself is slipping out of his jeans more slowly. He gets on the bed very gingerly. There's more than a foot of distance between them. He lies on his back, hands folded over the blanket, staring at the ceiling. His nose is a perfect triangle, kind of big for his face, but pretty in its own way, a contrast to the neatly sloping features of his chin and forehead. Phil feels his pulse begin to thud with renewed nervousness. He feels super aware of his naked legs under the covers and wonders if he should have kept his jeans on. 

"So you don't live in town?" Dan asks, voice very quiet, eyes still glued to the ceiling.

Phil shakes his head, only he can't really because of the position that he's in, and the bed jiggles again. There's a spring that's beginning to dig into his hip uncomfortably. "No. I live in Manchester. I was just at a gathering with some friends. My brother lets me crash here sometimes when I go to see them. It's nice."

"What are your friends like?" Dan turns his head to look at him through the gloom. Phil can just make out the glint of his eyes, the soft shape of his lips.

He thinks. "They're cool. Funny. They like a lot of the same things I like. It's nice just to geek out, you know? When people know what you're talking about."

Dan looks at him, a strange absence of expression on his face. "No, I wouldn't know, really."

"Oh." Phil doesn't know what to say to that. From everything he's seen of Dan so far he seems fun and interesting and like he would be good to talk to.

"And your friend Charlie?" Dan asks then, which tears Phil away from his thoughts with a mental start. His pulse, which had been slowing down as they talked, kicks up again. 

"We're not… really friends anymore," he says hesitantly. 

"Oh." Dan seems to think this over. 

"What are _your_ friends like?" Phil asks.

"Don't have any really. The people I used to hang out with all fucked off to uni and forgot about me."

"I'm sure that's not true."

Dan shrugs. The bed doesn't jiggle when he moves because he's smooth and not as awkward as Phil. "It's fine. They were kind of awful anyway. I mean the one half were homophobic fuckwits and the other half only seemed to like me when I was drunk and making out with them. So…" He looks away then, face pointing towards the ceiling once more. He seems to be holding himself even more still than before. 

Phil thinks he recognises that kind of nervousness, and even though his brain does a little somersault at this information - this pretty clear hint that Dan is… that Dan might be… - he thinks he owes it to him to be serious about the trust Dan has put in him.

"Well, then… I hope you can make some new friends who will appreciate you properly."

Dan dimples for a moment before he turns his head to look at Phil again. For a moment he just lies there, smiling at him, and Phil smiles back kind of ineptly. He realises his eyes have adjusted to the dark, because he can see more of Dan now - his pale cheeks and soft mouth and dark eyes, the little crinkles around them.

"Are you even real?" Dan says, smile thickening his voice.

Phil blinks in surprise. "I think so." He holds out his hand to Dan. "Here, pinch me."

Dan laughs then, loud for just a split second before he remembers to be quiet, and rolls over on his side to face Phil. "That literally doesn't make any sense," he whispers. "You're the one who should be pinching me!"

"Okay," Phil shrugs and reaches out in jest, which makes Dan jerk away too quickly and almost roll off the bed. Phil kind of catches him and under the loud groans of the sofa bed they manage to jostle him back onto the mattress properly. 

Their knees knock together, and suddenly they're very close. 

"Don't pinch me," Dan whispers into the suddenly cramped space between them. Phil thinks he can feel his warm breath on his face, a waft of alcohol, which probably matches Phil's own breath.

"I wouldn't really," he assures him in a low mumble.

They pause then.

"Phil?" Dan whispers, but he doesn't say anything else.

"Yeah?" Phil replies, and watches as a tiny shiver seems to run through Dan. He closes his eyes briefly but then they fly back open, staring right into Phil's own.

He thinks he knows exactly what Dan is asking for, but some excruciating fear of being wrong is making his heart pound, holding him back. He swallows, gulping down his nerves, but then Dan is leaning forward, pressing his lips to Phil's. He hovers there for a short moment, not really doing anything, just holding still, before pulling away again.

Phil lies there, stunned, for a moment. 

Dan is looking at him, eyes slowly widening in seeming fear. "Was that… Was that okay?" he asks, voice heavy with some emotion that seems scary even though Phil doesn't know exactly what it is.

Something is bubbling up in his stomach, a tiny trickle, like a fountain of joy turning on inside him. It gurgles and bubbles upwards and explodes across his face suddenly in a huge grin. "Yeah," he says. "Yeah, that was… actually not okay." He can't help but laugh at the stricken look on Dan's face, puts a hand on his cheek. "Better than okay!"

Dan looks at him, mouth a perfect O for a second, before he reaches out and hits Phil weakly in the chest. "Jesus, don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack!" he whispers, furiously.

Phil laughs, rolling onto his back and grinning stupidly at the ceiling. The fountain has reached full capacity. He thinks it's one of those smart ones, keyed to music, only the music here seems to be Dan's raspy voice. 

Suddenly Dan's hand is on the side of his face, he is hovering above Phil. This time when their lips meet it's insistent, a bit wet. Phil makes a happy sound and finally moves his lips, kissing Dan back properly. It's sweet. It's wonderful. It makes him warm and tingly all the way through, and when Dan adds a bit of tongue it sends a sharp electric current all the way through him. He tastes Dan's tongue, invites it inside and lets it explore. Dan is a good kisser. Something about him feels controlled, insistent but not pushy. Phil lets himself relax into it and floats away on the current of Dan's kisses.

He doesn't know how long they make out for, just that by the time Dan sighs and pulls away, resting his head on Phil's shoulder and slipping his arm around his chest, his lips are tingly and his jaw aches a little. 

"M gonna sleep now," Dan murmurs against Phil's t-shirt. He rubs his cheek over the material a little.

"Okay," Phil whispers. The fountain is gurgling happily. He can't stop smiling.

"You're very comfortable," Dan slurs. He pats Phil's chest. "Good pillow."

Phil buries his nose in Dan's hair. It doesn't smell familiar, but it's nice. It's soft and ticklish, and he thinks he could get used to it. To all of it, actually. Dan's lips, Dan's warmth, Dan's weight on his shoulder. 

He falls asleep feeling more content than he remembers being for a really long time. At one point he registers the flat coming to life, people talking, footsteps across the floor, cupboards opening and closing, the tantalising smell of coffee. But it's warm under the covers, Dan is soft and pliable against him still, and those two things manage to drag him back under. He doesn't hear the door opening and closing, or the text on his phone.

When he finally wakes up properly it's light out. The flat is quiet, seemingly deserted. When he digs his phone out from under the pillow to check the time he sees a message from Martyn: _"Not like Charlie at all. Right. I'm out, little bro. Make sure the lock latches when you leave."_

Phil grins and looks down at Dan who is still sleeping. He can't resist brushing the hair out of his face, and it makes Dan frown and twitch a little. Phil lies down next to him and waits. Dan opens his eyes a bit, squints, and draws his chin back, mouth pulling down. It looks kind of ugly but also incredibly adorable.

"That's creepy," he croaks and stretches emphatically, limbs seeming to twitch without his control. 

Phil grins. "At least you still have all your toes."

"Do I?" Dan pulls the covers off his feet and checks, long toes splaying, stretching. Then he looks at Phil, more properly awake now.

Phil folds his hand under his cheek and grins at him. "Good morning."

"G'morning," Dan mumbles. He smacks his lips as if tasting the inside of his mouth and frowns in disgust. Then his eyes widen again. "Sorry, gotta piss," he says and rolls awkwardly out of bed.

Phil laughs at him as he stands disoriented on the floor, floppy bedhead, shirttails hanging, pale bare legs. "I guess romance is dead," he giggles and points in the direction of the bathroom.

"Give me a chance," Dan grumbles, seemingly good-naturedly, and walks away. 

Phil listens to the water run in the sink and realises he definitely needs to pee as well. He gets up and pulls his jeans on and goes to hover by the door. 

Dan startles slightly when he comes out and sees Phil right there. 

"Sorry," Phil says, and brushes past him. 

When he comes back out, Dan has put his jeans on too, and seemingly tried to fix his hair a little. Phil goes over to him and slings an arm around his waist, leaning in for a kiss, but Dan turns his head away.

"Sorry, I'm just really gross," he says wryly.

"Oh. Yeah," Phil says. It's awkward for a moment. 

Then Phil thinks of something. He takes Dan's hand and drags him back into the bathroom. He takes one of the tubes of tooth paste standing around the sink at random. 

"Hold out your hand," he says.

Dan frowns but gives him his hand. Phil takes his finger and squirts out a bit of toothpaste before putting a dollop on his own finger. He snaps the tube shut and puts the finger in his mouth, trying his best to brush. Dan stares at him like he's a crazy person for a couple of moments before he kind of shrugs and does the same. Phil grins at him in the mirror.

After they've washed their hands and had a couple of gulps of water from the tap they go in search of breakfast. Phil digs out the package of cereal with MARTYN scrawled over it and pours out two generous bowls.

"Is your brother okay with us just taking his food?" Dan asks hesitantly. 

Phil shrugs. "Martyn's casa is my casa," he says but then can't help the furtive glance over his shoulder to make sure Martyn hasn't actually come home while they were in the bathroom. 

Dan laughs at him. "Yeah, alright, Mr Cool."

"Uh, that's Mr Amazing, actually," Phil grins.

"Oh, is it?" Dan raises his eyes doubtfully. 

"It is."

Dan rolls his eyes, but he's smiling as he starts eating his cereal, looking at Phil out of the corner of his eye the entire time. Phil copies him. The first mouthful tastes like soap because of the toothpaste, but his stomach is really happy to finally get something semi-solid after the alcohol Phil had poured into it last night. 

Once they've both emptied their bowls, Dan takes them and sets them aside. He leans against the counter and pulls Phil in close. The angle makes him stand a few inches shorter than Phil, his chin tipping up to look at Phil.

"Right. Where were we?" he murmurs. 

"I think… here?" Phil says, and leans down easily to capture Dan's lips in their first kiss in the light of day. 

It's easy and sweet, tasting a bit of cereal, tooth paste underneath. Dan's tongue is cool at first, but it warms against Phil's. Their crotches lean together, and Phil definitely feels something there, some insistent stir of interest. Dan hooks his hands around Phil's neck and draws him even closer, slipping a knee between Phil's. They kiss until Phil is definitely half-hard and kind of needs to stop. He rests his hands on Dan's hips, presses their foreheads together and breathes. 

"I guess I need to go home now," Dan says regretfully.

"Yeah. Me too."

Phil is surprised at the sadness that rolls through him then. He doesn't want Dan to leave. He wants him to stay right here, within kissing distance and touching distance and talking distance.

"Can I… ring you?" Phil asks. He has no idea if he's being too forward, if Dan would even have any interest in just talking to him, much less in making plans to see each other again.

But Dan grins and nods, which rubs their foreheads together kind of painfully. "Yeah. I'd like that, Phil."

"Really?" Phil pulls back and smiles.

"Yes, idiot," Dan laughs, so Phil kisses him again. 

"Wanna go to the station together?" Phil asks.

"Yeah," Dan nods and shrugs and smiles, dimples showing. Phil really likes those dimples. They're even better in daylight. Then Dan kind of frowns and blushes and squirms. "I can't believe I literally fell asleep on you."

Phil shakes his head as if that can dispel Dan's sudden onset of delayed embarrassment. "I'm just a good pillow. And I'm glad you did. Imagine if you hadn't. Then we probably wouldn't even be here."

Dan looks at him, a surprisingly soft expression on his face. "And you're sure I didn't hallucinate you? You're too nice!"

Phil grins. "Pretty sure."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! [Like/reblog on tumblr.](https://calvinahobbes.tumblr.com/post/190385957540)


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